Basketball glossary
Basketball terms, explained in plain English
Every word you are likely to hear in a gym, on a broadcast, or from a coach, in 135 short definitions you can read in a few seconds each.
This glossary is for anyone who is new to the game or just wants to keep up: first-time players, parents watching from the bleachers, adults joining a rec league, and volunteer coaches who need to explain the rules to a young team.
Terms are listed from A to Z. Each one gets a short definition, and related terms are linked so you can follow a topic, like fouls or rebounding, from one entry to the next. Where the rules differ between the NBA, college, high school, and international (FIBA) play, the definition says so.
135 terms, A to Z.
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A
- Air ball
- A shot that misses everything: rim, net, and backboard. Opposing fans often chant it to tease the shooter.
- Alley-oop
- A pass thrown up near the rim that a teammate catches in the air and scores before landing, usually with a dunk or quick layup. See also: Dunk, Lob
- And-one
- When a player is fouled while making a shot, the basket counts and the player gets one extra free throw. The name comes from the basket "and one" more shot. See also: Three-point play, Shooting foul
- Ankle breaker
- Slang for a dribble move so quick that the defender stumbles or falls trying to keep up.
- Assist
- A pass that leads directly to a teammate's made basket. The passer is credited with the assist in the stats.
B
- Backboard
- The flat rectangle the rim is attached to. Shots can bounce off it and still go in.
- Backcourt
- The half of the court a team is defending. It is the opposite of the frontcourt, where the team is trying to score. See also: Frontcourt, Backcourt violation
- Backcourt violation
- A violation called when a team has the ball in its frontcourt and is the first to touch it after it goes back over the half-court line. It also covers taking too long to get the ball across half court: 8 seconds in the NBA and FIBA, 10 seconds in college and high school. See also: Midcourt line
- Backdoor cut
- A cut toward the basket behind a defender who is overplaying the pass, leaving an open lane for a bounce pass or lob.
- Ball handler
- The player who has the ball and is dribbling, usually the one running the offense on that possession.
- Bank shot
- A shot that hits the backboard first and then drops into the basket. Common on angled layups and short jumpers.
- Baseline
- The boundary line at each end of the court, behind the basket. Also called the end line.
- Basket interference
- Illegally touching the ball, rim, or net while the ball is on the rim or inside the imaginary cylinder above it. On defense the basket counts anyway; on offense it is taken away. See also: Goaltending
- Bench
- The players who are not starting the game, and the seats where they and the coaches sit.
- Block
- When a defender legally deflects a shot, usually by swatting the ball as it rises. Also called a blocked shot or rejection.
- Blocking foul
- A defensive foul called when a defender makes illegal contact by moving into the path of a player who already has their spot, or by not being set in time. See also: Charge
- Bonus
- Once a team commits a set number of team fouls in a half or quarter, the other team shoots free throws on every common foul, even ones not on a shot. Also called the penalty. See also: Double bonus, Team foul
- Bounce pass
- A pass that hits the floor once before reaching the teammate. It is harder for tall defenders to deflect.
- Box out
- Using your body to seal an opponent away from the basket after a shot so you have better position for the rebound. See also: Rebound
- Box-and-one
- A defense where four players play a zone shaped like a box and the fifth guards the other team's best scorer man-to-man.
- Brick
- Slang for a badly missed shot that clangs hard off the rim or backboard.
- Buzzer beater
- A shot released before time runs out at the end of a quarter, half, or game that goes in after the buzzer sounds.
C
- Carry
- A violation where the dribbler lets the ball rest in their hand, often turning it over, before dribbling again. Also called palming.
- Center
- Usually the tallest player on the team, who plays close to the basket to rebound, block shots, and score inside. Often called the 5.
- Charge
- An offensive foul where a player with the ball runs into a defender who had already set their feet in the path. The basket does not count and the ball goes to the defense. See also: Blocking foul, Offensive foul, Restricted area
- Charity stripe
- Slang for the free throw line.
- Chest pass
- A two-handed pass thrown straight from the passer's chest to a teammate's chest. It is the first pass most players learn.
- Closeout
- A defender running out to guard a shooter who just caught the ball, arriving under control with hands up to contest the shot.
- Corner three
- A three-pointer taken from either corner of the court. In the NBA it is the shortest three on the floor, 22 feet compared with 23 feet 9 inches at the top.
- Crossover
- A dribble move where the ball handler quickly bounces the ball from one hand to the other to change direction and get past a defender.
- Cut
- A quick move by a player without the ball toward the basket or an open spot to get a pass.
D
- Defensive rebound
- Grabbing a missed shot by the other team. It ends the opponent's possession.
- Dime
- Slang for an assist, especially a sharp or flashy pass.
- Double bonus
- A higher level of the bonus where every common foul sends the fouled player to the line for two shots. In college men's basketball it starts on the 10th team foul of a half.
- Double dribble
- A violation for dribbling with both hands at the same time, or for starting a new dribble after you have already stopped dribbling. See also: Dribble, Violation
- Double team
- Two defenders guarding the same offensive player at once, usually the ball handler or a strong post scorer.
- Double-double
- Reaching 10 or more in two of the five main stat categories in one game: points, rebounds, assists, steals, or blocks. Ten points and 10 rebounds is the most common. See also: Triple-double
- Dribble
- Bouncing the ball with one hand while moving or standing. It is the only legal way to move with the ball besides passing it.
- Drive
- Dribbling hard toward the basket to score or to pull defenders in and create a pass.
- Dunk
- A shot where the player jumps and pushes the ball down through the rim with one or both hands. Also called a slam or a jam.
E
- Ejection
- Removal of a player or coach from the game by the officials, usually after two technical fouls or a serious flagrant foul.
- Elbow
- The spots where the free throw line meets the sides of the lane. Many plays and jump shots start there.
- Euro step
- A move on a drive where the player takes one step in one direction, then a second step the other way, to get around a defender before a layup.
F
- Fadeaway
- A jump shot taken while leaning or jumping backward, away from the defender, to make the shot harder to block.
- Fast break
- Pushing the ball up the court quickly after a rebound or steal to score before the defense can set up. See also: Transition, Outlet pass
- Field goal
- Any made basket other than a free throw. It is worth two points inside the three-point line and three points beyond it. See also: Free throw, Three-pointer
- Field goal percentage
- The share of field goal attempts a player or team makes. Ten makes on 20 attempts is 50 percent.
- Five-second violation
- A violation for taking more than five seconds to inbound the ball. In some leagues it also applies to holding the ball for five seconds while closely guarded.
- Flagrant foul
- A foul with excessive or dangerous contact, such as a hard swing to the head. It brings free throws plus possession and can lead to an ejection. FIBA calls the similar fouls unsportsmanlike and disqualifying. See also: Ejection, Personal foul
- Floater
- A soft, high-arcing shot released over taller defenders in the lane, usually a few steps before the rim. Also called a runner or teardrop.
- Flop
- Exaggerating contact, or falling down without real contact, to try to draw a foul. Some leagues penalize it with a warning or technical.
- Forward
- One of the two positions between the guards and the center. Small forwards tend to play on the wing and power forwards closer to the basket.
- Foul
- Illegal personal contact, such as pushing, holding, or hitting a player's arm, or unsporting behavior. The other team gets the ball or free throws depending on the situation. See also: Personal foul, Violation
- Foul out
- Being removed from the game after reaching the personal foul limit. That is six fouls in the NBA and WNBA, and five in FIBA, college, and high school. See also: Personal foul
- Free throw
- An uncontested shot from the free throw line, awarded after certain fouls. Each make is worth one point. Also called a foul shot. See also: Free throw line, Bonus
- Free throw line
- The line 15 feet from the backboard where players stand to shoot free throws.
- Frontcourt
- The half of the court where a team is trying to score. It is the opposite of the backcourt.
G
- Give-and-go
- A play where a player passes to a teammate, cuts toward the basket, and gets the ball right back for a shot.
- Goaltending
- Illegally touching a shot on its way down toward the basket when it still has a chance to go in, or after it hits the backboard on its way down. If the defense does it, the basket counts. See also: Basket interference, Block
- Guard
- One of the two smaller positions that usually handle the ball and shoot from the perimeter.
H
- Hand check
- Keeping a hand on the ball handler to slow them down or steer them. Most leagues call it a foul when it impedes the player.
- Held ball
- When players from both teams have firm control of the ball at the same time. The NBA settles it with a jump ball; most other levels use the possession arrow. See also: Jump ball, Possession arrow
- Help defense
- A defender leaving their own player for a moment to stop a teammate's man who has beaten them on a drive.
- Hook shot
- A one-handed shot where the shooter turns sideways to the basket and sweeps the ball up and over their head. It is hard to block.
I
- Inbound
- Passing the ball onto the court from out of bounds to restart play, such as after a made basket or a violation.
- Intentional foul
- A foul made on purpose, often to stop the clock late in a game, or one with no real attempt to play the ball. Penalties vary by league and can include extra free throws and possession.
- Isolation
- A play where teammates clear to one side so one player can go one-on-one against a defender. Often shortened to iso.
J
- Jab step
- A short, sharp step toward the defender without moving the pivot foot, used to test the defense before shooting or driving.
- Jump ball
- A restart where the official tosses the ball up between two opposing players, who try to tap it to a teammate. Every game starts with one. See also: Tip-off, Held ball
- Jump shot
- A shot taken while jumping straight up and releasing the ball near the top of the jump. Often shortened to jumper.
K
- Key
- The painted rectangle under each basket, running from the baseline to the free throw line, plus the circle at its top. Also called the lane or the paint. See also: Paint, Three-second violation
- Kick out
- A pass from a player driving or posting up near the basket back out to an open shooter on the perimeter.
L
- Layup
- A close-range shot, usually off one foot, where the player lays the ball off the backboard or drops it over the rim.
- Lob
- A high, arcing pass thrown over the defense, often to a player near the rim.
- Low post
- The area close to the basket on either side of the lane, where post players try to catch the ball.
M
- Man-to-man
- A defense where each player is responsible for guarding one specific opponent wherever they go. See also: Zone defense, Switch
- Mid-range
- The area between the paint and the three-point line, and the jump shots taken from there.
- Midcourt line
- The line across the middle of the court that splits it into the frontcourt and backcourt. Also called the half-court line. See also: Backcourt violation
- Moving screen
- An offensive foul where a player setting a screen leans, steps, or slides into the defender instead of standing still. See also: Screen, Offensive foul
N
- Nothing but net
- A shot that goes in without touching the rim or backboard.
O
- Offensive foul
- A foul committed by a player on the team with the ball, such as a charge or a moving screen. In most leagues no free throws are awarded; the ball just changes hands. See also: Charge, Moving screen
- Offensive rebound
- Grabbing your own team's missed shot, which gives the offense another chance to score.
- Out of bounds
- Anywhere on or beyond the sidelines and baselines. The last team to touch the ball before it goes out loses possession.
- Outlet pass
- The first pass after a defensive rebound, thrown quickly up the court to start a fast break.
- Overtime
- An extra period played when the score is tied at the end of regulation. NBA overtime is five minutes; other levels use four or five.
P
- Paint
- Another name for the key, the painted area under the basket. Points scored there are called points in the paint.
- Personal foul
- A foul involving illegal contact with an opponent. Each one counts toward the player's total and the team's total. See also: Foul out, Team foul
- Pick and pop
- A play where a player sets a screen for the ball handler and then steps back to the perimeter for a jump shot instead of rolling to the rim. See also: Pick and roll
- Pick and roll
- A play where a teammate sets a screen on the ball handler's defender, then turns and cuts to the basket for a possible pass. See also: Screen, Pick and pop
- Pivot foot
- The foot a player keeps planted while holding the ball. They can spin on it but cannot lift and put it back down without dribbling. See also: Traveling
- Plus-minus
- A stat showing how much a team outscored or was outscored by while a player was on the court.
- Point guard
- The player who usually brings the ball up the court and runs the offense by calling plays and setting up teammates. Often called the 1. See also: Guard, Assist
- Possession arrow
- A table display that shows which team gets the ball on the next held ball or jump-ball situation. It alternates each time it is used. The NBA does not use one. See also: Held ball, Jump ball
- Post
- The area near the basket on either side of the lane, or a player who plays there, usually a center or power forward.
- Post up
- Setting up near the basket with your back to the defender, calling for the ball, and backing in to score. See also: Post
- Posterize
- Slang for dunking over or on top of a defender in a way that would make a good poster.
- Power forward
- A forward who usually plays closer to the basket, rebounding and scoring inside, and in modern basketball often shooting threes too. Often called the 4.
- Press
- Short for a pressure defense that guards the offense up the court before it reaches the frontcourt.
- Pull-up jumper
- A jump shot taken right off the dribble, where the player stops suddenly and rises to shoot.
- Pump fake
- Faking a shot by raising the ball as if to shoot, to get the defender to jump. Also called a shot fake.
- Putback
- Grabbing an offensive rebound and scoring right away, often without coming back down to dribble.
Q
- Quarter
- One of four periods in a game. NBA quarters are 12 minutes, FIBA and WNBA quarters are 10, and high school quarters are usually 8. College men's games are played in two 20-minute halves instead.
R
- Rebound
- Gaining control of the ball after a missed shot. See also: Box out, Defensive rebound, Offensive rebound
- Referee
- An official who enforces the rules on the court by calling fouls and violations. Most games use two or three officials.
- Restricted area
- A small arc under the basket where a defender cannot draw a charge. Contact there is usually called a blocking foul instead. Not every league uses one.
- Rim
- The orange metal hoop the ball must go through, set 10 feet above the floor at every standard level.
S
- Screen
- A legal block where an offensive player stands still in a defender's path to free up a teammate. Also called a pick. See also: Pick and roll, Moving screen
- Shooting foul
- A foul on a player in the act of shooting. If the shot misses, they get two free throws, or three on a three-point try. If it goes in, they get one. See also: And-one, Free throw
- Shooting guard
- A guard whose main job is scoring, especially from outside. Often called the 2.
- Shot clock
- A timer that limits how long a team can hold the ball before shooting. It is 24 seconds in the NBA, WNBA, and FIBA, 30 seconds in college, and 35 seconds in high school states that use one. If the shot does not hit the rim in time, the ball goes to the other team.
- Sixth man
- The first player off the bench, usually a key scorer or energy player who does not start.
- Small forward
- A forward who usually plays on the wing and can score inside and outside. Often called the 3.
- Starter
- One of the five players who begin the game on the court.
- Steal
- Taking the ball away from the other team by intercepting a pass or knocking it loose from the dribbler.
- Swish
- A shot that drops cleanly through the net without touching the rim.
- Switch
- When two defenders trade the players they are guarding, usually after a screen.
T
- Team foul
- Every personal foul a team commits in a period counts toward its team foul total, which decides when the other team reaches the bonus.
- Technical foul
- A foul for unsporting behavior or certain administrative violations, such as arguing with officials or having too many players on the court. It awards free throws to the other team: one in the NBA and FIBA, usually two in high school. See also: Ejection
- Three-point line
- The arc beyond which a made shot is worth three points. It is 23 feet 9 inches in the NBA (22 feet in the corners), about 22 feet 2 inches (6.75 meters) in FIBA and college play, and 19 feet 9 inches in most high schools. See also: Corner three, Three-pointer
- Three-point play
- Scoring three points on one trip by making a two-point shot while being fouled and then making the free throw. See also: And-one
- Three-pointer
- A field goal made from behind the three-point line, worth three points. Also called a three or a trey.
- Three-second violation
- An offensive player cannot stay inside the key for more than three seconds while their team has the ball in the frontcourt. The NBA also has a defensive three-second rule. See also: Key
- Timeout
- A break in play called by a team or official so coaches can talk to players and substitutions can be made. The number allowed varies by league.
- Tip-off
- The jump ball that starts the game at center court.
- Transition
- The moment the ball changes hands and both teams switch between offense and defense, especially when one team runs fast up the court.
- Trap
- Two defenders closing in on the ball handler together, often near the sideline or a corner, to force a bad pass or turnover.
- Traveling
- A violation for moving your feet illegally while holding the ball, such as taking too many steps without dribbling or shifting your pivot foot. Also called walking. See also: Pivot foot, Dribble
- Triple threat
- Holding the ball low and ready with the option to shoot, pass, or dribble, so the defender cannot guess what is coming.
- Triple-double
- Reaching 10 or more in three of the five main stat categories in one game, most often points, rebounds, and assists. See also: Double-double
V
W
- Weak side
- The side of the court away from the ball. Defenders there often slide over to give help. See also: Help defense
- Wing
- The area on either side of the court between the top of the key and the corners, outside the lane.
Z
- Zone defense
- A defense where each player guards an area of the court rather than a specific opponent. Common setups include the 2-3 and 1-3-1. See also: Man-to-man, Box-and-one
FAQ
Common questions
What are the basic basketball terms?
Start with the words that describe how a possession works: dribble, pass, shot, rebound, assist, steal, and turnover. Then learn the main rule terms, such as foul, violation, traveling, double dribble, free throw, and shot clock, and the court areas: key (or paint), three-point line, baseline, frontcourt, and backcourt. With those you can follow almost any game.
What is a double-double?
A double-double is when a player reaches 10 or more in two of the five main stat categories in one game: points, rebounds, assists, steals, or blocks. The most common is 10 points and 10 rebounds. Doing it in three categories is a triple-double.
What is the difference between a foul and a violation?
A foul involves illegal contact with another player, like pushing, holding, or hitting a shooter's arm, or unsporting conduct. It counts against the player and team and can lead to free throws. A violation is breaking a rule without illegal contact, such as traveling, double dribble, or a three-second violation, and the penalty is simply giving the ball to the other team.
What does and-one mean?
And-one means a player was fouled while making a shot. The basket counts, and the player also gets one free throw. If they make it on a two-point basket, it is called a three-point play.
What are the 5 positions in basketball?
The five traditional positions are point guard (1), shooting guard (2), small forward (3), power forward (4), and center (5). Guards usually handle the ball and shoot from outside, forwards play on the wings and inside, and the center plays closest to the basket. Many teams today use more flexible lineups, but these labels are still the common shorthand.
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